Letters

On May 21, my husband and I found a small dog in the road on Old Bridle Creek Drive. She was very old, but her head was up and looking around. I guess she was just resting.
She is a sweet beagle with cataracts, a sore on her foot and no hearing. We took her over to Twin Oaks Veterinary Hospital. They still have her.
Would the owners please step up and take care of their aging pet? They think she should be euthanized, as she has other medical problems as well, but she doesn’t complain.

Your May 21 news item, “Unpaid meal fees eat away at school budget,” is a heartbreaker.
Something is seriously wrong with us and our government at the local, state and federal level, if we cannot supply school breakfast, lunch and snacks for all of our children.
Another recent Gazette story said more than 3,000 Grayson County people go hungry at least once a day. Many of them could be children.

My husband “Jack” Carpenter recently went to be with his Heavenly Father while a resident at Waddell Nursing Home. He had resided there for four and a half years.
I want to express to all of the staff who cared for Jack, my heartfelt thanks for the love and care extended to him and also to me.
The staff and I quickly became family and bonded in a way that I will always hold dear to my heart. They wiped away my tears and held me close when I needed them.

Folks ready to fire up their outdoor grill on Memorial Day face a deadly choice of inflicting food poisoning or cancer on family and friends.
Food poisoning by E. coli and Salmonella bacteria, if they undercook the meat; cancer, if they heat meat to the point of creating cancer-causing compounds.
Luckily, a bunch of enterprising food manufacturers and processors have met this challenge head-on by developing a great variety of healthful, delicious, and convenient, un-chicken, veggie burgers and soy dogs.

On May 6, I was re‑elected to another four-year term on Galax City Council and I want to thank voters and citizens of Galax for that honor.
It is humbling to be extended this opportunity and I will try to fulfill your expectations.

It has come to my attention that a project of utmost importance to American citizens is taking shape and very few in our area have knowledge of it.
It is Operation American Spring. The call has gone out for all veterans and patriots to gather on The Mall in Washington, D.C., on May 16 to petition for a “redress of grievances” against despotic and tyrannical federal control.

Recently it has been suggested that a bounty be placed on coyotes around here. I’ve heard it suggested that, as well as protecting deer (an endangered species, for sure), it would amuse the children of tourists and expose them to the proud tradition of the Huntsman.
I humbly offer a solution. Instead of squandering 90¢ a shot on .243 Winchester ammo (the preferred load for blowing away coyotes), the bounty should be applied instead to starlings (the greater nuisance, I’m sure all would agree). The savings on ammunition is considerable.

Anne and Clark Donley blow a lot of smoke in their letter about a coyote bounty.
First: It will not break the county.
Two: When I bought land and built near Elk Creek, quail and whippoorwill could be heard in the spring and summer and large flocks (30-40) of wild turkeys could often be seen. Then the coyotes arrived. Haven’t seen or heard quail or whippoorwill in 30 years, and I’m lucky to spot more than three turkeys in a flock these days.

“Thank you” and “you’re welcome.”
Two common phrases, usually spoken face to face after one is grateful for the way another has behaved towards the first.
I recently moved from the Tidewater area, where I spent the past three decades, to Grayson County right outside of Galax. I’m retiring here. One of the best things about retiring is, this is my last move. If I never finish unpacking, it would just mean I have too much stuff.

I was raised to eat what I kill, except for termites and such, and I do not understand our Grayson County supervisors’ concern about coyotes eating deer. We have more than enough deer out by Gold Hill.
They are a pest! They wipe out my neighbors’ gardens and cause car wrecks. Even this time of year, I usually see at least three when I drive back from town in early morning or evenings.